The Seasons Are Changing And So Should Your Skincare!

I love summer! I love the sunshine, the trips to the beach, barbecues, exciting outdoor festivals and lets not even talk about the exhibition parks. I turn into a 12 year old girl almost instantly.

Despite the fact that summers obviously have all kinds of attractive qualities, my notorious fickle nature starts pining for the different kind of warmth only autumn can bring and daydreaming about chestnuts and rich jewel-toned colors develops pretty quickly after that.
Lets face it, the hot muggy weather and constant "perspiration", loses its very charm quickly when it comes to a girly girl like me. By the time September rolls around I am more than ready for a change!

With the season rotation the beauty connoisseur in me gets pretty excited about making the switch to a more fall-appropriate makeup color palette, treating the whole transition process like some kind of a "lifestyle makeover" and relishing each new discovery to its fullest.
As my beauty experience evolved I began to recognize that my skincare concerns were also affected by the upcoming temperature and environmental changes which naturally progressed to a shift in those routines as well. You would be surprised just how big of a difference a few formulation changes can make when it comes to skin happiness and more importantly, the ever elusive comfort factor. 

The warmer summer temperatures called for refreshingly light and usually gel-like textures, all of which will prove to be insufficient once the cold weather comes around. Those of you with drier skin will agree with me right away but I am sure that everyone would benefit from a little richer and creamier formulas once the cold starts setting in. The go-to summer products start under-performing but luckily I already have amazing back-ups to supplement my beauty regiment well before the Canadian weather starts playing around.

Today you guys get to witness yet another glimpse in to my beauty saturated world. It can get pretty ridiculous but try to bear with me - I promise there is definitively a method to my madness! 

Cleansing Procedures 

When choosing a cleanser for the fall or winter season the thing I always look for is that wondrous combination of "creaminess" and the "gentle factor". The summer may have vied for the "cooling effect" but in the cooler weather my bigger concern and end result is always all about efficiency without any kind of stripping or over-drying. In fact all of my "wintery" picks focus on adding things in to the skin as opposed to taking things out, which is something that can be a little tricky when it comes to the cleansing step. Essentially the cleanser needs to be able to effectively but gently clean my skin and enrich & hydrate all at once. Needless to say my love affair with cleansing balms becomes even more evident around this time because their balmy formulas when it comes to the concept of cleansing hydration.
My favorite transitional cleansers are: Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser ($70.00 for 6.8 oz), Suki Creamy Foaming Cleanser ($32.95 for 4 oz) and Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm ($35.00 for 3.8 oz).

Exfoliating my dry and sometimes flaky complexion is accomplished by an even more regular use of my Clarisonic Mia Cleansing System ($139.00), which coupled with my choice chemical exfoliants keeps everything smooth and in-check without over-drying and further irritation. When my skin needs happens to need a little bit extra scrubbing TLC then I reach for some substantially creamy and function targeted facial scrubs, which do the job quickly and swiftly in a manner of just a few minutes.
The most important thing about these scrubs is that they hydrate my skin without being greasy or clog-worthy!
Some of the best are: Michael Todd True Organics Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub ($18.00 for 3.4 oz), Aveda Tourmaline Charged Radiant Skin Refiner ($40.00 for 3.5 oz) and Juara Rice Facial Scrub ($29.00 for 4.75 oz).

The Toning and Treatment Step

The debate whether or not a skincare routine really needs a toner completely ended for me when I discovered the genius nature of chemical exfoliants and I really haven't looked back. Swiping a saturated cotton pad over your face takes mere seconds and the difference that short amount of time has had on my skin texture and appearance is more than amazing. For me that has solidified the toning step and I really can't imagine me ever cutting it out. The only thing that is important is choosing a formula that is gentle and low in alcohol content in order to minimize any over-stripping and drying, which is especially important during the winter months when vast amounts of time is spent in artificially heated environments.
My firm favorites still include Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner ($34.00 for 120 ml), Biologique Recherche P50 ($89.00 for 8.5 oz) and the new Korres Pomegranate Toner ($26.00 for 6.75 oz).

No skincare routine is complete without a treatment serum, which is basically souped up, targeted health supplement for your skin. The beauty of serums lies in the fact that depending on the formulation you choose you can treat any specific concern or problem your very own skin requires - nothing beats personalization when it comes to beauty routines and including one of these in yours is a sure-fire way to whatever your little heart desires.
Since I am a proud Canadian, our wonderfully cold winters and my own dry skin require highly hydrating, soothing and protective potions to help me acclimatize to the ridiculously fluctuating temperatures.
Serums that get the most play in my bathroom are: Aesop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment ($80.00 for .81 oz), Murad Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum ($63.00 for 1 oz) and my trusty Clarins Bi-Phase HydraQuench Intensive Serum ($58.00 for 1 oz).

More and More Hydration

Keeping up with the hydration theme I am sure you can predict that my moisturization is going to be even more important during this transition phase and as the winter months get closer it will gradually intensify even more. My skin is definitively on the drier end of the spectrum but its also easily irritated and prone to clogging, which makes choosing a richer moisturizer a little trickier than usual. The formula needs to be deeply hydrating, soothing and rejuvenating but can't be filled with traditionally clog-prone ingredients such as mineral oil and the various "butter" variants.
The all stars in my skincare arsenal include: Tatcha Moisture Rich Silk Cream ($150.00 for 1.7 oz) and my new favorite MuLondon Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturizer ($24.00 for 2 oz). The MuLondon Skincare is probably one of the greatest discoveries of the summer for me so expect in-depth reviews very soon.

Another way I hydrate and pamper my skin pretty much year round is by including regular facial mask sessions each week and making sure to choose hydrating, luxurious formulas for maximum effect and best results. My favorite time to use them is right after a shower or hot bath on clean, warm and damp skin, leaving them to do their magic as I busy myself with body lotions, creams and rich moisturizing oils. Nothing beats beauty multi-tasking!
My new discoveries include: Rodial Dragons Blood Hyaluronic Mask ($45.00 for 50 ml), KORA Organics Hydrating Mask ($49.95 for 100 ml) and my new-found obsession Tarte Amazonian Clay Double Detox Facial System ($46.00 for the set!).

Just glancing at my blog and the over abundance of blog posts such as this one clearly illustrates the fact that I take my skincare very seriously so much as that I continuously invent reasons to talk about my over-planned regiments. With that in mind, its obvious that a lot of the products I introduce are not necessarily must-haves in a regular persons skincare routine however I can't deny the fact that all of these really do make a difference in the way my own skin looks and feels.
I firmly believe that investing in good skincare products, expensive or not, is important to every beauty queen out there - after all those beautiful fall makeup color palettes will never get to shine with their full potential is your complexion is lacking that healthy, radiant glow!

Do you change your skincare products with each season? Any favorites I need to know about?

Thank you for the reading :)

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

Maid of the Mist - Facial Sprays

I had first started using these sprays a few years ago but the results were un-impressive, tedious and seemed to almost dehydrate my skin more, which of course is exactly the opposite of what they claim to do in the first place. Annoyed at myself for buying the "hype" around these "water cans" I ended their existence in my bathroom and figured that they just weren't right for my skin type. Lesson learned!

This year as my skincare routine evolved I rediscovered the coveted facial sprays (among other things) and hoped that this time around the chosen formulas would be better and worth my time and effort. With more experience and even more research I embarked on a shopping expedition hoping to find that "miracle brew" everyone raved about.

Despite the simplicity I have found that facial sprays are also often misunderstood and misused if you don't do your homework and read the directions on the product itself. Trust me, there is definitively a wrong way to use this and I had nailed it perfectly.
The fact that I, a biologist by trade, missed such an obvious biological feature of the skin composition and had used a hydration product to specifically dehydrate was only slightly embarrassing. However I am happy to say that i finally figured it out and hopefully learned a lesson about reading directions...

Its actually a really simple concept if you stop to think about it. Spraying water on a "living" surface and allowing it to dry will cause even more moisture loss from the skin cells through the osmosis/diffusion phenomenon. The final result is a skin that is more dehydrated than what you started out with, hence wrongful use of the culprit will only cause more harm than good.  The thermal water sprays don't have any moisture binding ingredients in their formulation so as they evaporate the skin cells are basically "sucked dry".
The key in preventing this from happening is also simple as well. Use as directed, spay all over your face, let it sit for about 30-60 seconds and most importantly BLOT the excess away. Trust me, the difference is really more than noticeable and for the first time I am able to appreciate this product properly.
My favorites thermal mineral waters include - La Roche Posay ($12.99 for 5.2 oz), Avene ($18.00 for 10.58 oz) and Evian ($11.00 for 5 oz).

A sub-category of facial sprays includes specifically hydration targeting formulas too, in which case the blot-factor is not essential because these include moisture-trapping ingredients that are able to penetrate skin surface and balance the natural skin "water" content. These new-generation hybrids can have added glycerin, hyaluronic acid, plant botanicals and even essential oils to provide even more benefits to your skincare routine.
My favorites of this kind are - Caudalie Grape Water Soothing Moisturizing Spray ($19.00 for 6.7 oz), NUDE Hydrating Water Spray ($32.00 for 3.4 oz), Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist ($86.00 for 3.4 oz) and The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist($16.00 for 3.2 oz). 

Top Picks for Facial Mists with The Body Shop, Omorovicza, NUDE Skincare

Now that I have read the description and very necessary directions I have found many unique ways to use these spa-inspiring facial mists
1. In place of toner, prior to serum and/or moisturizing cream to improve absorption
2. A light mist as a finishing-setting step after makeup application to achieve the "dewy glow"
3. To fix "powdery" mistakes during makeup application
4. Refreshing pick-me up during the day (especially hot, humid summer days and nights)
5. Airplane hydration treatment

Even though facial sprays are not necessity a must-have item for someone with an otherwise good skincare routine I would still recommend giving them a try. The skin-loving benefits can be targeted by selecting the right brand and formulation but where this product really shines is the appropriately named "dewy factor". A light mist of these sprays is a sure way to achieve that baby skin glow that can elevate your look to a much more youthful, healthy level. That alone is reason enough for me :-)

You can purchase my favorites or discover new ones at Sephora, Ulta, The Body Shop, Dermstore and Amazon

I hope that was helpful!

Do you have a favorite facial spray? Any tips for using these products even better?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

Review - Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner

I love my Biologique Recherche p50 treatment!
It has been a life-changing product for me and I would gladly invest in cases at a time. However with the new European formula change and limited supplies, the original P50 formula is getting harder and harder to find.

I fully appreciate everyone's effort to remove nasty chemicals from beauty products and everything else for that matter but my skin needs a little bit of the "baddies" to be kept in check. I simply haven't been able to find a formulation that works as good as the Biologique Recherche but since I've been conflicted about the whole thing I decided to start pursuing other options in the limited world of exfoliating toners.

As per usual I took Caroline Hiron's (online skincare genius!) advice and invested in one of her other top choices. The Clarins exfoliating toner caught my eye so that was one of my first test products.

I decided on Clarins first because I have always felt that their skincare choices seem to stand out from the rest of the beauty giants (Estée Lauder) in terms of price, functionality and innovation. I had liked some of their skincare products before and I have always felt comfortable browsing their counter choices so it really was an organic first choice. 

Thereby I introduce you to the seriously underrated Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner.

Description;
The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is a lotion formulated with fruit acids to sweep away dulling dead skin cells and the day's grime and pollution.
It smooths and softens skin to leave it looking and feeling clean, bright and beautiful.
Apply once or twice a week to a clean face with a cotton pad, avoiding the delicate eye contour. Wait for a minute before continuing your usual skin routine to maximise effectiveness.

This particular exfoliating toner brightens and refines your skin through the means of natural chemical exfoliation; using a combination of tamarind fruit acids and white nettle extract.

The Tamarind fruit acid helps to unclog congested skin, eliminates any settled impurities and dead skin cells and activates natural cell renewal. On the other hand the White nettle extract firms the complexion, tightens your pores and prepares your skin for additional topical treatments.

For those of you concerned with alcohol content I should point out that in this particular formulation, the addition of glycerin counteracts the drying factor successfully so any effects of said alcohol is negligible or even non-existent. 

The concentration of chemical exfoliants in this is a lot lower than that in the P50 or the Pixi Glow Tonic so this is a great choice for Sensitive Skin Club Members and in my experience suitable for daily use. 

However as always I recommend an old- fashion patch test prior to use any products that contain "active" ingredients such as this one.

I have used the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner ( $34.00) for almost a month at this point and I have to say I am very impressed. The results of course are nowhere near as dramatic as that of the P50 but its serving its exfoliating purpose in the gentlest way possible. 

It leaves my skin smooth, soft, supple and radiant upon each use and while I can't say it will totally replace the Biologique Recherche completely, it's definitively got what it takes for the maintenance phase in between the sad skin days. 

You can purchase and get more info on Clarins skincare directly on their website, Sephora or any designated counters in your area.

Have you tried the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner? Do you have a favorite toner? 

Thank you for stopping by :-)

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

La Roche Posay Serozinc Review

La Roche Posay is one of the higher-end drugstore brands available at most Shoppers Drug Mart locations across Canada and despite the fact that quite a few of their products have reached so called "cult status", I usually tend to overlook them completely.

The brand as a whole intimidates me with its ultra-pharmacy look to it, names i can't pronounce, multi-purpose products and lets not even talk about the fact that their ingredients seem to be taken directly from my inorganic chemistry textbook. In order to properly explore the La Roche Posay brand or even figure out exactly what it is I am buying I will need some guidance. Its high time I at least made an attempt. 

My first purchase was easier than I thought, mostly because I already knew one of the things I was buying, Serozinc spray, while the other came in the form of an Toleriane introductory set. 

The La Roche Posay Serozinc is a simple formula of water, sodium chloride and zinc sulfate, meant to calm, purify and lightly cleanse all kinds of skin imperfections. Essentially its a blue aerosol canned astringent, traditionally designed to purify and control oil production, usually in teenage or very oily skin. The old astringent formulas (remember Sea Breeze?) were almost completely alcohol and other irritating ingredients, meaning that they didn't do your skin any favors and removed oil by over-drying. 

The La Roche Posay team figured out a way to keep the astringent properties without a chemical disaster with Serozinc, which not only controls sebum production but also acts as microbial by eliminating bacteria on the surface of the skin, hence controlling future breakouts. 

Caroline (Beautymouth), the webs unofficial skin care guru, recommends using this as your second toner, on top of the exfoliating step (P50, Pixi Glow Tonic etc.) to completely prepare your skin for treatment and moisturizer. Despite the fact that this has sebum absorbing properties, the Serozinc works amazingly well on my combination dry skin and ironically hydrates my skin better than the "hydrating facial sprays" I am so keen on using. Even though I am a big fan of those refreshing mineral water sprays (like Evian) what most people don't realize that is that once the water evaporates from the surface it tends to take some of the skin's natural moisture as well. Completely counter-intuitive if you ask me!

My conclusion for La Roche Posay Serozinc toner treatment spray is a very positive one and I will definitively re-purchase! I am happy that I finally gave this brand a chance and as always with me, one great product leads to trial of others so the La Roche Posay team will definitively be seeing more of me in the future. If you happen to come across the Serozinc I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

However I will say that this is one of those skin care products whose benefits or results are not as obvious while you use it but chances are once you stop the fact that you are missing it will be loud and clear.  

La Roche Posay's products can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada but selection of products varies from store to store. 

I hope this was helpful!

Have you tried La Roche Posay and Serozinc?

XOXO 

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Honest Review

Caudalie Beauty Elixir has been making a regular appearance in the blogosphere for some time now and even though I have had a bottle of this for ages I just never got around to properly testing it. Until now that is!

What it is:
Part-toner, part-serum mist of essential oils and plant active ingredients.

What it is formulated to do:
Smooths the skin, tightens the pores, and provides an instant burst of radiance, as it stimulates microcirculation.

Ingredients;

Aqua (Water), Alcohol*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water*, Parfum (Fragrance)*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil*, Potassium Alum, Glycerin*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract*, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract*, Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Leaf Oil*, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract*, Tocopherol*, Citral*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citronellol*, Geraniol*, Farnesol*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Eugenol*.

This hybrid of a toner and a treatment has all the earmarks of a multi-tasker, which is a feature  I always love and take into account when purchasing. I use this as a refresher spray during the day, quick toner when my skin is feeling congested and as a last step in makeup application to seal & set everything in. 
The formula contains orange blossom, rose, organic balm mint, rosemary and Caudalie's star ingredient grape water, and it promises to smooth & tighten pores, refresh & soothe your skin and provide a burst of complexion radiance. It comes in various sizes (30-100 ml) which I appreciate and the spray nozzle on the bottle is one of the best I have ever tried. A little feature like that is surprisingly important when it comes to facial sprays. 

It should be noted that this does have somewhat of a heavy fragrance so those sensitive to scents really need to consider this before purchasing. Personally I really enjoy the refreshing minty mist and I find that's actually a huge part of the appeal of the elixir itself. Putting it in the fridge only intensifies this effect and feels amazing on hot summer days. I will definitively be sneaking this into the cool beach coolers for a refreshing pick me up during the upcoming hot days. Those with really dry skin will not appreciate the high alcohol content as it may contribute to further dry-out. For that reason I would definitively not use this as a primary toner after cleansing.

Some would argue that this product doesn't deserve all the hype and praise it achieved and I would have to agree with that but only partially. The Caudalie Beauty Elixir is indeed a joy to use (for me) and I will most likely repurchase once my current bottle is finished but at the same time I can't exactly support the miraculous claims others have experienced. The only significant effect I noticed is that it does seem to calm my skin if I am feeling particularly congested but then again even that is kind of an abstract phenomenon which may or may not be owed solely to the elixir itself. 

My conclusion for Caudalie's Beauty Elixir remains a bit mixed at this point so I would recommend it only as an "extra" indulgence if you enjoy it but its definitively not an essential step in my beauty routine. 

You can get more information and purchase Caudalie's products from their own site or at our trusty Sephora here! 

I hope someone finds this honest review helpful!

Have you tried the Caudalie Beauty Elixir? Did it work out for you?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Skin Care Jack Pot - Decleor Tonifying Lotion

There was a time when i didnt believe in toners!
Adding yet another step to an already complicated skincare routine wasnt appealing to me, especially since my experience with toners was never great. I either felt stripped & dry or worse i was left with a greasy filmy residue, which is never good for someone with very confused problematic skin.

Well i am happy to say that Decleor has inspired me and i am now a very enthusiastic convert :) The charming pink genie bottle now has a permanent spot by my bathroom sink and i think my complexion is thanking me on a daily basis. The scent alone is amazing! It reminds me of a unique mix of a farmers marker and a luxurious european spa...weird - i know! My skin feels comforted, balanced and fresh each time i use it!

Its not a miracle product, your complexion wont be "transformed" and if you are sensitive to fragrance or essential oils then this may not be ideal for you. Its a toner after all BUT its the pampering kind :-)

Ingredients;
Water (Aqua), Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Water, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Pca, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Oleth-20, Fragrance (Parfum), Tetrasodium Edta, Citric Acid, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citral, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben

Decleor Tonifying Lotions ($27) and other Decleor products can be purchased here

I hope this is helpful to someone else

XOXO

Anja